We visited 7 MPs. Will you call one?

Bill C-31 is an omnibus immigration bill that would jail asylum seekers, entrench a two-tier refugee system that would discriminate against many, and give the Immigration Minister the ability to take away people's permanent residency after they have been granted refugee status. Not only that, it advocates intrusive biometrics data collection on all migrants in the country, and gives increased powers of arrest and detention to border guards that will affect tourists, permanent residents, students and refugees alike.

Members of Parliament are at their offices today and tomorrow (Thursday & Friday) for March break. Give them a call at their constituency offices and demand that they axe the Refugee Exclusion Act. Be part of the fight back! Forward this email to 2 friends and then call them to ask them to call their MPs too. You have just one day, Friday, March 23, 2012, to pressure MPs before they vote to send it to committee for further discussion.

We are hand-delivering this message to some Members of Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration (CIMM).

In the days to come you will be discussing Bill C-31, first in parliament and then in committee. Bill C-31 is nothing less than a Refugee Exclusion Act. If passed, it will essentially shut out many asylum seekers from gaining permanent refugee status in the country.

This is unacceptable.

Bill C-31 is an omnibus immigration bill that would jail asylum seekers, entrench a two-tier refugee system that would discriminate against many, and give the Citizenship Minister the ability to take away people's permanent residency after they have been granted refugee status. Not only that, it advocates intrusive biometrics data collection on all migrants in the country, and gives increased powers of arrest and detention to border guards that will effect tourists, permanent residents, students and refugees alike.

Bill C-31 cannot be amended. It must simply be thrown away.

The Chinese Immigration Act of 1923 is a dark chapter in Canadian immigration policy, which essentially shut out most forms of Chinese migration. It is remembered today as the Chinese Exclusion Act. Bill C-31, if passed, will be remembered as the Refugee Exclusion Act.

Don't allow this to happen.

Scrap Bill C-31 and move towards real immigration reform. Ensure full status for all residents in Canada, and status on landing for all migrants coming in to the country. Stop the military, economic, environmental and foreign policy decisions that displace people and force them to move in the first place.

Talk to your colleagues. Tell them to pick the right side of history. Don't support Bill C-31.